Reginald Asper seethed beneath his composed exterior, his fury barely contained as he stood before the eighty people gathered around him.
His daughter in law had warned him about her husbands and kids resistance to his plan, they wouldn't be joint his chain.
The guards should have been here by now.
His grandchildren and son's rebellion was an intolerable affront, but he maintained his facade. He barked orders to a guard, demanding they bring back those who had been removed from the chain to make room for the direct descendants he had flown in, with his son and grandchildren missing he couldn't allow his chain to be short.
The energy from the crystal that had merged into his hand surged through him, growing stronger with each passing second. It was a heady, intoxicating sensation, a reminder of the power he craved and pursued. The timer was running out, but he felt unstoppable. He wished he had time to find his rebellious grandchildren and son himself.
As the power built within him, he heard a commotion. A guard stumbled in, carrying an unconscious Evelyn Asper. Reginald barely spared her a glance.
"Tsk. Not even a descendant," he muttered. "I'll just have to find them in the newly integrated world."
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Amelia and Finn sprinted through the corridors, their hearts pounding with urgency and fear. They skidded to a halt at the sight of Alexander leaning over their father. Jonathon lay on the floor, a knife embedded in his side. Alexander clutched a pistol, and a guard lay in a pool of blood a few feet away.
Jonathon's breaths came in shallow gasps, his vision fading. He saw his children and felt a profound regret. His last thoughts were not of his achievements, but of the moments he had missed with his family. If only he could turn back time and know his children better. Darkness claimed his vision as he took his final breath.
The Asper children stood in silent resolve, their hands clasped together as the timer ticked down. Amelia reached out and grabbed their father's lifeless hand.
Finn's hatred for his grandfather burned like a wildfire, the thought of vengeance consuming him.
Alexander was equally furious, his voice tight with anger as he revealed their mother's betrayal. "Mother told grandfather about our plan. She didn't believe you, Amelia."
Amelia responded calmly, her analytical mind cutting through the emotional turmoil. "Mother wanted comfort, to be taken care of. She didn't want the difficult truth."
Finn's mind raced as he processed the revelation. His mother had betrayed them, choosing the false security of their grandfather's promises over their desperate plan for freedom. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that his own mother had played a part in their father's death. His hatred for his grandfather deepened, intertwining with a newfound resentment toward his mother.
The timer was coming to an end. Finn finally spoke, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him. "Four years; wait for me."
Finn would have three years at the school and one in the dungeon. Amelia and Alexander would each have one year in their own dungeons before returning to the newly merged world, having to wait for Finn for three years.
Alexander nodded, his voice filled with cold determination. "And when we find each other, we will kill that fucking old bastard."
Amelia's eyes burned with the same intensity as she agreed. The three siblings looked at each other, a silent pact forged in the crucible of their shared pain and unyielding resolve.
The legend of the Asper Asuras had begun, and it would be a saga written in blood, sweat, and unbreakable will. They would rise from the ashes of their old lives, stronger and more determined than ever, ready to claim their destiny.